Yes, you read that right. Bembridge RNLI gets off to a flying start with a shout on New Years Day.
The pager went off at 1759 to launch the ALB. I was just settling down to watch something on the TV, I say “something” as we had yet to determine what that was going to be. So, found Glasses, put on boots, grabbed coat and opened the front door. It was bucketing down, so put the coat on and got into the car. It was an easy trip down and my usual spot in the car park was clear.
Arriving at the boat house I find the usual team members have turned up. Enough are ready to launch so I slow down a little, get some boots and a HiVi on, and watch to launch procedure. Just watching is also good training. Everything goes like clockwork and the boat hit the water without delay. I should make a note of the time.
I then get asked to get a helmet on and go down to help prepare for the boats return. The others have got this well covered but I still go down and see if there is anywhere I can help. As it happens there was nothing needed, but I did watch so impressive Bowline tying of the hauling line to the haul up spans.
We then returned to the Control room to listen in to what was happening. The Ocean racing Yacht “Challenger 4” was in trouble. She was on passage from Poole to Portsmouth. Approaching Portsmouth she had suffered engine failure (Loss of coolant), was drifting and was taking on water. Help was clearly needed.
Our Tamar setup a tow and took her into Portsmouth harbour. The plan was then to berth her on the Gosport fuelling pontoon. There was, however, a problem. Challenger is 72 feet long and displaces some 54 tonnes. Added to this was the Force 7 wind from the West. She didn’t want to dock to a pontoon on the West side and the Tamar didn’t have the power to change her mind. So the Coxswain changed the plan and moved her over to the East side pontoon on Gunwharf Key, where she was secured. Following this we get the report that she’s on her way home.
Meanwhile, the rain has not abated and the wind was strong. So the Head Launcher decreed that we were to don full wet-weather kit. This consists of Sallopetes, a warm and waterproof jacket, the life jacket the usual wellies, and the Gecko helmet. It took a few minutes to get all this kit on.
I buddied with my usual trainer and we worked with the other slipway crew pair to set the tow line, haul up spans and hauling line, ready for the boats return. This proved to be an interesting experience as while it was raining and the wind was very present, these elements were not a concern due to the excellent PPE.
It seems that the processes we follow are always up for review and modification. One example presented itself. The tow line and its shackle and connected to the haul up spans and then the shackle is taken down to the waters edge. This means walking on the lower section of the slipway that is in regular contact with sea water. That makes it very slippy, also it was raining on this surface, and even the best Dunlop boots have their limits. As a result my Buddy ended up falling. He kept hold of the tow line so didn’t go anywhere. He appears to be okay, all be it a bit grubby. I wager there is a good bruise to come out though. Now we are looking at better ways to get the shackle down the slipway.
The boat took its time to arrive, during which the sea managed to get a grip of the shackle and started it slipping down into the water. We had to get this back and my Buddy set out to do so. Now came an obvious piece of procedure, that I hadn’t actually been taught. We must go down together. The Head Launcher called on my to follow, which I did. We sorted out the tow line and the shackle and made our way back up to the boat house.
Once the boat arrived the the recovery was pretty much text book. We worked together to wash the boat down and finally haul it into it resting position. I was asked to attend the keel strop attachment, working with a fellow trainee, under the watchful eye of the Head Launcher.
During the ensuing battle of water craft there was an incident. The Starboard side of the bow quarter of the Tamar made contact with the hull of the Yacht. The story has it that the yacht came off worse. But the newly overhauled, clean and spotless Tamar, now has battle scars.
